Chelsea were chasing one of Europe’s hottest strikers this summer.
The “striker curse” has engulfed many Chelsea players over recent years. The likes of Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner were all brought in for big money but failed to excel in the blue shirt.
In truth, the Blues still haven’t replaced the potent physical presence of Diego Costa, who departed Stamford Bridge after enjoying a largely successful period in West London, winning two Premier League titles and netting an impressive 59 goals in 120 appearances in all competitions.
Mauricio Pochettino desperately needs a dominant focal point up top and with the January transfer window fast approaching, the Argentine could be presented with more funds to purchase one of Europe’s most promising forwards.
Were Chelsea interested in signing Dusan Vlahovic?
Across the summer, Chelsea were heavily linked with a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic to bolster their attacking firepower.
It was rumoured that the Blues considered offering Romelu Lukaku as part of a swap deal for the Serbian hitman in August and while the Belgian striker agreed on personal terms with the Italian giants, they were unable to strike a deal as the English club wanted Juve to drastically lower their asking price, according to Sky Sport Italia.
The report detailed that the Old Lady were demanding a £34m fee for Vlahovic plus Lukaku, however, the Premier League side were unwilling to go beyond a fee of £21.5m with add-ons included.
While a deal didn’t materialise in the summer, there are reasons to be optimistic about a transfer being concluded in the future after Juve teammate Samuel Iling-Junior previously drew comparisons for the similarities that Vlahovic shares with Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba.
He said: “Didier had that energy. Obviously he was a finisher. But when you go on the pitch I think energy is the most important thing in a top player.
“Dusan has got the lot. He speaks on the pitch. But it’s more his energy. When he’s going to press, he just naturally takes you with him.”
Is Dusan Vlahovic similar to Didier Drogba?
Didier Drogba arrived at the club at the age of 26 and quickly established himself as a dominant goal-scoring focal point in Jose Mourinho’s title-winning machine.
The Ivorian had the ox-like strength, exceptional hold-up play, incredible movement and incisive finishing in his repertoire that saw him net an outstanding 164 goals in 381 appearances for Chelsea.
And in the early stages of Vlahovic’s career, it appears that the 23-year-old possesses the unerring attributes that can see him follow a similar path to stardom taken by the former and that is a tantalising prospect for supporters to envisage.
Standing at 6 foot 3, Vlahovic is a traditional frontman, notoriously clinical in front of goal, can hold off defenders and make the piercing movement in behind that the opposition struggles to live with.
Described by teammate Filip Kostic as the “best striker in Europe”, the 23-cap Serbian international has netted a commendable 65 goals in 147 appearances in Serie A.
While he would undeniably bring a consistent goal-scoring touch to Stamford Bridge, he’s been labelled by former Juventus player Alessio Tacchinardi as “extraordinary” and could be the first step to improving their focal point.
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